


it means something now

by SaraJaye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Awkwardness, Feelings Realization, Friends With Benefits, Fuckbuddies, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Maybe Ever After, Possessive James Griffin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 06:20:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18585544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: The trouble with being friends with benefits is that eventually, you start feeling more.





	it means something now

**Author's Note:**

> Voltron: Legendary Defender, Keith/James: FWBs reunion sex - it's been years since they last fucked and things have changed.
> 
> Warning is for the allusions to pre-Kerb Keith and James doin' it.

He still couldn't exactly figure out how he and James Griffin had gone from hating each other's guts to fucking each other's brains out a few times a week. The first time had all been a blur, but after that they'd built sort of a tense friendship. Based on fucking.

In hindsight, Keith should have known James wouldn't simply forget about it and move on, not from the way he stared at him when they saw each other again for the first time. Or the way James had dragged him back to his room, practically throwing him onto the bed, and there was definitely something different in the sex itself. James's kisses were desperate, and with every one of Keith's thrusts he held on tighter, as if he were afraid Keith would disappear again.

Something had changed in the years they were apart. The last time they'd slept together was long before the Kerberos mission, before Keith found out about Shiro's illness, before he'd gone off into space for five years. Back then it was simple, they only _really_ gave a damn about each other when they were in bed. Or pressed up against the shower stalls. Or dry humping behind the building after dark, just moments before the curfew alarm.

He'd been back for a week, and this was the...fifth? Seventh time he'd ended up naked in James's bed. This time James had been the one on top, pounding feverishly into him, his eyes wild with lust and something Keith just barely managed to put his finger on moments before the heat of orgasm overcame him.

"When did you start caring?" he murmured as James held him almost possessively, tracing patterns along his bare back with his fingertips. They never used to hold each other after sex, but James hadn't been willing to let him go as easily the last few nights. James's shoulder tensed under his cheek.

"I dunno," he sighed. "It just sorta happened. I mean, when you got kicked out I just figured that was the end, you know? But then you disappeared for three years." Keith blanched, turning a bit in James's arms.

"I didn't plan that, you know," he said. "I knew _something_ was hiding in the cave, I just didn't know it was a big blue mechanical cat that was gonna send us flying through a wormhole into a big space war."

"But you always knew something was going on, didn't you." James's arms tightened. "Everyone else gave Shiro and the Holts up for dead, but you always knew. You and Holt's sister, and you were _right._ And then you spent three years flying around the galaxy saving people, you're half-alien, you nearly got yourself killed a bunch of times, found some crazy alien colony where a prince was sucking out people's energy, and then you're _back._ "

He sighed, loosening his hold and turning away. Keith could see the muscles in his back and shoulders go tense.

"I don't know what the hell happened. I barely thought about you all that time, but..."

"But then you saw me again and I guess..." Keith shook his head, rolling onto his side. "Damn it. What happened, Griffin? We're fuckbuddies, barely even friends. I thought it was just the sex you missed, I missed it too. I didn't get laid _once_ up there, and not for a lack of opportunity, either." He laughed. "You should see some of the Blade members I worked with, or some of the other aliens we met. One guy, he turned out to be a thief, but he was pretty easy on the eyes. Then this rock dude-"

" _Kogane._ " James grabbed him around the waist again, from behind. "Just stop, okay? I don't wanna think about-I mean, I don't care how hot they were, just-"

He sighed.

"I fucked Ryan a couple times, and Veronica. Just tension relief, you know? It didn't mean anything."

"It didn't mean anything between us, either," Keith said.

"Back then it didn't."

Keith closed his eyes, laying his hands over James's.

"When did _I_ start caring?" He knew he could have done it with anyone at any time. Shiro, Rax, Rolo. He'd shared a sleeping pallet with Romelle several times, her body pressed so close to his it was a wonder she didn't notice he had a boner once. They could have easily done it and gone back to sleep without waking Mom and Kosmo.

 _But I didn't want to fuck anyone but you,_ he realizes as James holds him more tightly.

"Veronica warned me, you know," James said. "That sometimes this sort of thing happens to fuckbuddies. They start feeling things for each other."

"Shiro did, too," Keith groaned. "I laughed at him, but I should've known he was right. Shiro's _always_ right."

"Keith, listen..." James's words were soft, warm against his bare shoulder. "I don't want to stop this, but I don't think we can _just_ fuck anymore and pretend it's nothing. I...I want _more._ "

Keith tightened his hand over James's.

"I think I do, too. But...I dunno if I'm ready yet. I mean, there's still the war going on, I've gotta reconfigure myself, it's-"

"I know. I don't mean let's have a big grand love confession and get hitched right away," James said. "Just...when it's over, maybe we could give this actual boyfriends who care about each other thing a chance?" Keith smiled, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah. It's worth a shot, and if it doesn't work at least we can say we tried, right?"

"Right."

They fell asleep tangled in each other's embrace, under the sheets. Neither one daring to hope that this actual boyfriends who care about each other thing _would_ work out in the long run.


End file.
